Choreography

Approach and Process

How can a performance discover itself as it happens? I am fascinated by choreographic questions; a thoughtful set of parameters, set up like an experiment, to allow action to unfold. The question provides direction and focus, while holding space for a multiplicity of possible responses. As a result, the performance can “live” in the present tense, as opposed to referencing a set of decisions made in the past, and is never more or less right or wrong. This is my approach to choreographic creation; known intersects with unknown and the performer is tasked to access all of their skills and resources in the moment to follow the emergent pathway of inquiry.

David Norsworthy rehearsing a work-in-progress solo titled Origami Interview, with limitations during a residency at the Walter Carsen Centre through the National Ballet of Canada’s Open Space program in November 2019. The work is a practise of embo… — David Norsworthy rehearsing a work-in-progress solo titled *Origami Interview, with limitations* during a residency at the Walter Carsen Centre through the National Ballet of Canada’s Open Space program in November 2019. The work is a practise of embodied problem-solving, physical specificity, checking-in with sensation, accessing memories, and reconnecting with heritage. Photo by Kendra Epik.

My challenge is always to honour the particular constellation of conditions that are present. Can I be in dialogue with what is real to me at any given moment? Can I practise radical resourcefulness as a starting point? My interest is in creating site, time and people-specific situations that begin with reality and then move towards the unreal or the abstractly utopian; allowing myself, students, collaborators and audience members to contemplate alternative possibilities. Elements of the obvious, pragmatic and casual collide with manifestations of the imagination.

Yuichiro Inoue and Pulga Muchochoma of Toronto Dance Theatre in a choreographic experiment by David Norsworthy during TDT’s Emerging Voices Project in December 2019. The score involved listening and responding to the existing sounds (environmental “… — Yuichiro Inoue and Pulga Muchochoma of Toronto Dance Theatre in a choreographic experiment by David Norsworthy during TDT’s Emerging Voices Project in December 2019. The score involved listening and responding to the existing sounds (environmental “music”) of a working space and audience. Photo by Peter Kelly & Megumi Kokuba.

VIDEO BANNER CREDITS (in order of appearance): 1. A Study on Collision and Empathy (Videography by Aria Evans / Choreography by Justin de Luna and David Norsworthy. More info and full credits). 2. when I start (Choreography and Performance by David Norsworthy). 3. Possibilities of Dialogue (Videography by Fourth Frame Films / Choreography by Marielis Garcia and David Norsworthy. More info and full credits.). 4. Night Danger (Choreography by David Norsworthy / Performance by Judy Luo and David Norsworthy, with Iskwē). 5. The Elusive Truth (Videography by Andrew David Terris / Choreography by David Norsworthy, in collaboration with Mairi Greig). More info and full credits). 5. Solo Improvisation. 6. Super (Videography by Fourth Frame Films / Choreography by David Norsworthy / Performance by JT Papandreos, Ryan Lee, Austin Diaz, Jonathan Campbell, Robbie Moore and David Norsworthy). 7. The Elusive Truth (see above). 8. You/You (Choreography by David Norsworthy / Performance by Ingrid Kapteyn and David Norsworthy). 9. Solo Phrase-work. 10. A Study on Collision and Empathy (see above). 11. Possibilities of Dialogue (see above). 12. You/You (see above).

Students of Point Park University’s Dance Program (Pittsburgh, USA) in a commissioned work by David Norsworthy titled the view from here in October 2016. A creative process exploring the subjectivity of perception and the dancer’s personal artistic … — Students of Point Park University’s Dance Program (Pittsburgh, USA) in a commissioned work by David Norsworthy titled *the view from here* in October 2016. A creative process exploring the subjectivity of perception and the dancer’s personal artistic questions yielded a work that aimed to de-stabilize the audience’s ability to predict.

“David Norsworthy’s [work] was brilliantly original... a delicious piece of nonsense. Clever, original and very enjoyable... Mr. Norsworthy is a great talent both as a choreographer and as a dancer. He is someone to watch.”

— NYC DANCE STUFF, Darrell Wood